


second star to the right

by badgerspride



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Growing Up, One sided romance, Other, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-10-29 13:37:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20797493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badgerspride/pseuds/badgerspride
Summary: with the upcoming marriage of teddy and victoire, lily is feeling like her life is collapsing around her. with her dreams of teddy one day sweeping her off her feet coming to an end, the elephant in the room is that her vagabond life is going nowhere. hanging on the balance between reality and fantasy, lily faces the very real fact that it’s time to be an adult. or something like that, anyway. lily luna/teddy (one sided) / lily/scorpius.





	1. APRIL 2028

_breathtaking banner made by Lola @tda._

* * *

**APRIL 2028**

* * *

Lily Luna let out a groan as Lucy Weasley flung the curtains open, revealing the very rare, and very bright, Edinburgh sunlight. Yanking the knitted shall their Nana Weasley had knitted for Lucy the three years prior when she’d graduated, she tried to hide from the inevitable morning beginning. 

“Wake up, Lily!” Lucy sang, yanking the shall from her younger cousin, her light strawberry blonde hair tied in milk braids, as she grabbed Lily’s arm, trying to yank her up. “The sun’s shining, I have a pot of coffee on and breakfast is almost ready!”

All was said with a smile, and a stark contrast to Lily, who rolled into the couch cushions, moaning and groaning as Lucy clattered around the kitchen. Both girls had been Hufflepuffs, but while Lucy was the loyal and just parts, Lily was all the rest.

Turning on her back, she looked up at Lucy’s ceiling, trying to remember the night before after meeting up with a friend on Waverley Bridge, the club, but it all went fuzzy and she got up from the couch and went to the box tucked in the corning of the cramped living room.

“Victoire sent an owl,” Lucy was saying as she buttered the toast. Lily made a noise, not really caring that her eldest cousin had owled. If anything, Lily wished the older girl hadn’t. “She sends her love, and in June we have our second to last dress fitting.”

Yanking out her top, she went on a mad search for her underwear. “Yeah,” was all Lily responded, finally finding her final pair at the bottom of the box.

“Hugo also sent you a letter on the counter. I think he’s mad about the boxes again,” Lucy said as she set the table.

“He always is,” Lily said as she got changed, her dyed blonde hair tied up in a messy bun as she sauntered into the tiny kitchen, grabbing her cup on black coffee and taking a sip. “He sent me a howler last month when I was in Romania, nearly caused a dragon meltdown.”

Lucy tutted, opening _The Prophet_. “I’ll let him know you got both his howler and the letter,” Lucy said, not sparing the girl a glance as she sipped her cup of tea, cream and two sugars. “Freddie sent his love. He and Roxanne were in Diagon Alley, they’re excited to see you at The Burrow next week.”

“Oh yeah, forgot about that.” Lily said, taking another sip as she opened The Quibbler, thumbing through conspiracy theories on cornish pixies, muggle water pollution being dragon dung, and a few photos she’d taken in South Africa for the travel section.

“I figured you did,” Lucy said, her voice no less cheery than before. Lucy was used to Lily. For as long as Lily had been alive, Lucy had been at her side. Only a year older, Lucy had cheered the loudest and the proudest when both Lily and Hugo had been placed in Hufflepuff along with her and Freddie. They’d been like sisters, despite how much time Lily and Rose spent together, Lucy and Lily had always been thick as thieves. 

“So are you leaving for New York today?” she asked casually, thumbing more of her paper.

Lily placed _The Quibbler_ down. “Did I say I was going to New York?”

“I just figured. I know you just came back from Romania, but with the Burrow next week,” she trailed off, shrugging. 

Lucy kept her eyes trained on the paper, still, a dead give away she wasn’t really reading and Lily appreciated the faux effort and not mentioning the secret so potent between them, that she had long ago suspected the whole family knew.

Lily shrugged. “Probably. We’ll see. Besides, I should write back to Hugo before he has a nutty.”

Lucy looked away from the paper and snorted, then giggles erupted between them. Both girls knew Lily wouldn’t write, and Hugo wouldn’t say a word at the party either. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

“Well, I’m off to work. Wish me luck, Borris Trombly is driving me insane. I know he’s a talented seeker, but my god!”

Lily smiled, “Lucy Weasley hating someone. He must be the equivalent of dragon dung.”

Lucy grinned, “Don’t. I refuse to speak ill of him, he’s just harping on my final nerve.” Turning around, she said, “Lock up when you leave.”

Lily hadn’t confirmed she was leaving, yet somehow, Lucy always knew. Nodding, Lucy turned with a pop, she was gone.

Leaning back into the cushions, she smiled for a minute and shrugged, grabbing her wand and beaded bag, she tapped Lucy’s lock and took off.

* * *

**oOo**

* * *

A floo ride later, Lily found herself in Grand Central Station. Walking to the balcony, she took in the 8 am rush, smiling to herself. 

She had been so many places the past two years since her graduation for Hogwarts, but nothing made her feel quite at home as New York City. Walking down the grand staircase, she grabbed another cup of coffee and went off into the city.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Knowing he’d be at work when she’d entered his flat, Lily let herself in to the lavish home, admiring the marble floors, the wide, grand staircase, the pillars and tossed herself onto Scorpius’s couch as Apollo, his Scottish Terrier, scuttled over to her, his tail wagging as he tried to lick her face.

“Hi boy, are you happy to see me?” she chipped, kissing his face and letting him lick her as she picked him up. “I missed you, too.”

Picking up a discarded _Witch Weekly_, Lily settled into the couch with a smile, the dog laying at her ankles.

Scorpius, along with being a rich Malfoy, worked as a liaison between America and the United Kingdom. When Lily had asked him once, as they drank fire whiskey, he’d simply replied, _“I do a lot of boring work between a lot of boring people.” _

_“Sounds boring,”_ Lily responded and they snorted, and he’d flicked fire whiskey at her.

Spending most of her time at Scorpius’s, she felt at home as she got up from her spot an hour later, going into the bedroom and getting out her boxes from the back of his closet, ignoring the spot he’d made for her earlier that month. 

_“You know, Scorp, I’m surprised you’ve never gone through these. I could be hiding a dead body in here, and you’d be none the wiser.”_

_Scorpius shrugged, “It’s not like my reputation can get any worse. A dead body’s expected at this point.”_

Digging for more underwear, she sat down next to Apollo, who’d laid at her ankles, snoring once again and snorting happily when Lily scratched his backside absentmindedly. Her beaded bag, stolen from her aunt Hermione back when her father, Aunt and Uncle hunted down horcruxes, was filled to the brim, even though Aunt Hermione claimed it was impossible - but Lily had always proven to do the impossible! - with two years of clothes. Not bothering to clean anything out, she shoved more things in, noting she should do laundry when she went to Godric’s Hollow’s next week.

Her mother would be pissed when she brought this mess in, but Lily shrugged the thoughts away. What did she do that didn’t piss off Ginny Potter these days? The boxes in her room, the unmade bed, the mess of clothes throughout the floor - it was the least of the things she did that could enrage her mother.

“Merlin’s beard!” she heard Scorpius shout from the doorway, his wand out, and eyes wide. Lily turned to him, jumping herself. Apollo barked, scampering over uselessly, happy for his master’s return.

“He’s an awful guard dog,” Lily commented, leaning against the closet door.

“He has his perks,” Scorpius said, petting him. “You scared me. I didn’t think you’d be here for weeks.”

“Well, you’re home early. I didn’t want to waste the parchment writing.”

“You never write anyone, anyway,” he shrugged, going to his bed and discarding his robs. “Nothing was going on, so I left.”

Lily rose an eyebrow, “Maybe I should look into this job thing.”

Scorpius shook his head, “You’d hate it. It’s commitment.”

Lily grinned, climbing on top of him, unbuttoning his shirt, “Well, you know how I am.”

He hummed. “That I do.”

**.**

**.**

**.**

Hours later, he stood behind the stove, cooking shirtless, as Lily sipped wine and watched. “Did you finally RSVP to the big event. Lucy told me Albus was wondering if he’d see you then.”

“Al worries too much, he’s more of a Hufflepuff than you are.”

Lily tutted. “Please don’t insult my house, we’re loyal and just.”

“You mean they’re loyal and just. You’re the rest of it,” he teased, using her own words against her. She tossed her napkin at him and he laughed. 

“Please. Slytherin and Hufflepuff can’t be _that_ different. The hat was tempted to put me in Slytherin, did you know that?”

He shook his head, “Nah, that piece of cloth was probably having a lapse in judgement.”

Lily nodded, “Cunning with no ambition is my nature.”

“Cunning, eh? Should I be worried?” he teased.

“Very. And you didn’t answer the question, Malfoy.” She said, jokingly narrowing her hazel eyes.

“Yeah, I’ll probably go. Lupin is my, what? Third cousin, or something?” he replied with a careless wave.

“Third. Tonks was your second cousin,” Lily said easily, as if Teddy Lupin’s history was just common knowledge.

He nodded, “Yeah. So I should support him, maybe.”

Lily knew of the unease. She felt it, too.

“She’s fine now, I think. Lucy’s been getting letters from her, and she’s done with healing school, and she’s going to work under Madam Promfrey for a half year.”

“Merlin love her,” he muttered. “Dunno how she can handle all that. I’d be yanking my hair out by the end of the fortnight.”

“If you even made it that far,” Lily teased, pouring herself some more wine. “She might even be dating someone new.”

She looked at him through her eyelashes, unsure if she should’ve said something or not. In truth, Molly _was_ dating someone new. A fancy healer from South Africa, he was thirty-one, charming and handsome. Lucy had told her all about it a few weeks prior, when she’d gone back to Edinburgh after leaving Auckland from a holiday with her friend, Lysander, who was playing Quidditch there. Scorpius stiffened, and Lily couldn’t see his face, but she knew it stung.

“I’m glad for her,” he said sincerely, handing her a plate of food.

She toyed with her bread for a minute before saying, “Sorry.”

“For what?”

“Dunno, really. I feel shitty telling you that, honestly.” She said, unable to look at him as she focused on buttering her nearly disintegrated roll.

He shook his head, “Don’t be. It was years ago.”

Lily took a bite of her roll, barely tasting it as she tried to ignore the guilt. It was years ago. Two. Almost two, if anything. She could still remember it, and the memories of that night could make her gut twist itself inside out.

Scorpius sighed, “I am really happy for her, Lily. All I wanted was for her to be happy, anyway.”

* * *

**oOo**

* * *

Lily came out of the shower, hair freshly dyed back to it’s perfect white-blonde color as Scorpius came into the bathroom, towel around his neck and clothes off.

“I hate that you dye your hair,” he pouted. “I always loved your red hair, it makes you look like your mum. Especially when you get angry.”

“Ew,” Lily said, shoving him out of the way for the mirror, checking it to make sure she got all angles of her scalp, not a red strand in sight. “Don’t tell me you had a thing for my mother, Malfoy.”

Scorpius grinned, “Well, can you blame me.” Lily whacked his chest and he laughed. “Hey, settle, settle. See, Ginny Weasley in the flesh.”

“Don’t be gross, Scorp or I’ll do the bat boogey hex on you,” she threatened, despite that being her mother’s specialty, Lily was shit at it. For Lily, manipulation and playing peoples’ weaknesses worked out better than most of her hexes did.

“I heard your mum once did that one to my dad, he’s never been the same since.” Scorpius said thoughtfully.

Lily hummed, turning away from the mirror, satisfied with the finish. “I can’t talk about our parents when we’re naked. Soon, we’ll be on some crazy article for Witch Weekly about some muggle psychoanalyst nonsense.”

Scorpius smirked, moving her aside to brush his teeth. “Us and our Freudian slips.”

Lily gagged. “Enough. Besides, you clearly have a thing for red heads, and it’s weird.”

“Actually, it’s probably a thing for Weasley women. I did date Dom and Roxy once upon a time,” he pointed out cheekily.

“Freak,” Lily teased, not really weirded out. For all the time he’d spent with the Weasleys’ and Potters’ growing up, it was no surprised to know that he’d not only dated Dominique for two years, Roxanne for a few months and Molly almost four years, that any of it happened. It was, in fact, inevitable. 

Leaving the bathroom, Lily went to her boxes to pull out a pair of trousers and her jumper, tying her hair up in a bun as she went. 

“I left you some space so you don’t have to do that,” he said from the bathroom door. 

Lily didn’t turn around as she said, “I know.” Putting on her clothes, she could see the hurt look in his eyes from the reflection of the mirror, but ignored it. They knew the rules: no strings. It was friendship, sex, she left and he stayed - the end.

“I’ll send Al your love, yeah?” she said as she grabbed her beaded bag and picked up Apollo, kissing him on the forehead before dropping him on the bed for one last belly scratch.

“Yeah,” was all he said, coming out of the bathroom, pants on and top still unbuttoned.

“Then I’ll see you around, Malfoy,” Lily said with a grin, turning left and apparating back to Grand Central Station, just in time to floo to King's Cross and get to the Burrow before lunch.

* * *

**Author’s Note: **After binging Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, and having a never ending desire to always go back and add to Pixie Dust (a story I wrote so long ago that it’s ancient by now), I finally came back from a holiday and after much time in the UK, seeing all of the Harry Potter things they had to offer, I came home with this idea. I’m a big ScorLily fan, so it was inevitable. Updates will be coming sooner rather than later (we hope)! Leave a review if you want, but thanks.

xoxo, Bee.


	2. MAY 2028

**MAY 2028**

* * *

By the time she got to the Burrow that afternoon, hell had broken loose. 

She had floo’d from King’s Cross to the Burrow, and by the time she came from the grate, it was a full on war zone. Cousins everywhere, family friends corner to corner, and in the middle of it all, Victoire was crying hysterically.

“Oh bollocks,” she hissed to herself, dusting off her cloak before making her way to the closet, going unseen as she did.

Ever since the engagement last winter, at the annual Weasley Christmas Party, Victoire been a mess. She was always borderline bridezilla, and the only ones who could calm her down were Auntie Fleur, Teddy and much to her dismay, Dominique. Lily had pointedly stayed out of the wedding business until she couldn’t anymore.

It was obvious what was going to happen. Victoire loved her cousins. She gave the best birthday and Christmas gifts, she was crafty and it was so damn hard to hate her, not that Lily didn’t try to. And when she asked Lily if she’d be a bridesmaid, she couldn’t exactly say no, even though she really wanted to. Damn Hufflepuff genes. She blamed her Uncle Ron for the Hufflepuff curse bestowed upon her, because if she wasn’t so loyal to Teddy’s happiness, she would’ve said no. 

Honestly, it simply wasn’t fair at all, she reflected as she shoved her cloak into the cramped cupboard, jumping in fright when she shut the door to the faced with a lion’s head.

“Got ya!” he cried, and Lily shoved him away, laughing.

“Merlin’s sake, Teddy! You scared the nargles out of me! What on Earth are you playing at?” she gasped, covering her chest with her hand.

Teddy Lupin grinned down at her, his face returning to his handsome, chiseled features and hair going back to it’s natural, sandy brown. The sight of him made Lily’s heart race, and she thanked Merlin he’d scared her so her cheeks could remain red without intrigue. 

Laughing, he said, “What? I can’t scare my favorite sister?”

That made her heart sink, but she was used to it and forced her usual smile on her face, shoving him again for good measure. “I swear to Dumbledore, I hate you _and_ James.”

“Hating James, I understand, but me? The nerve!” he said playfully, pulling her into a headlock and ruffling her hair.

It was the same old song and dance with her and Teddy: she loved him, he still saw her as the little girl he’d babysit, sing songs to and play dolls with. She was basically like his little sister, and she hated it. She hated that her dad was his godfather, hated that his father died so that the families were close, and hated that she loved him, despite everything. It felt sick and twisted, but she did love him, so fucking much!

“C’mon, I want to get some chocolate. Victoire had a minor meltdown about the invitations, I think, but Fleur is settling her down. I accidentally made it worse, so I’m staying clear for a bit.”

That made Lily’s heart light up. “What’d you say to her?”

“Something stupid,” he clarified unhelpfully as he grabbed the bowl of chocolate that was going to be used for Molly Weasley’s three decker cake ganache.

“Wow, so insightful,” she deadpanned, taking a piece of chocolate. “You best hope Nana doesn’t catch us with this, or else we might just have gnome duty.”

“Oh, the horror!” he teased, jumping to sit upon the counter.

Lily stood before him, ignoring how easily she could slide between his legs and kiss him, just as she’d done to Scorpius that morning. It’d be so easy to just give him, make him see her.

“So we get the invites, right? And they’re great! Everything she wanted and more, but I fucked up and put an ellipsis at the end.”

Lily raised her eyebrow. “What?”

“It read: Victoire and Teddy forever, dotdotdot,” he clarified and Lily let out a loud laugh.

“Oh, good Godric, you’re bloody joking!” she exclaimed with an eye roll. Teddy waved his hands, shushing her.

“Please, for the love of Merlin, keep your voice down,” he hissed, looking over his shoulder, then back at her. Despite everything, his eyes twinkled and he said, “James already made that foolish mistake of laughing and Aunt Hermione is working on decharming his ears.”

“Poor James, too stupid for his own good,” Lily said as she shoved another piece of chocolate in her mouth.

Teddy nodded, toying with another piece of chocolate and sighed. “This wedding business is stressful. Everyone kept asking why we waited so long, and now I’m glad I didn’t impulsively do it when she graduated. There’s no way I could’ve gotten through magizoology school, had my job at Flourish and Blotts and done all of this, I would've gone mad.”

_Or Vic would’ve driven you mad,_ she desperately wanted to say, but instead, sighed. “Well, at least you only have until August.”

He hummed, running a hand through his hair. He looked so forlorn, and Lily knew it’d be her chance now, to drive a wedge between them, to claim him as her’s.

There had been a few times when there was no Victoire and Teddy. When she was little, he’d been the apple of her eye. She’d have him dress up with her, have tea parties, and he’d oblige her, unlike James and Albus, who saw her as annoying. He’d taught her how to fly, to toss a quaffle, beat a bludger and catch a snitch — all of which, she’d failed miserably at. Especially when she’d been a keeper and the fall from her broom nearly broke her neck and nearly gave her dad a stroke. 

It had been Teddy and her every summer, every holiday, and then, one day, he told her to keep a secret and told her about his feelings for her perfect, part-veela cousin and at the time, being a naive seven year old, she’d been happy for him and Victoire.

Why wouldn’t she have been?

Now Teddy would be her’s. He’d be her family! But she’d been wrong. He wasn’t her’s…

“C’mon, Ted, it’s not like she’ll call off the wedding over this,” Lily said, slugging him in the arm, despite those betraying hopes that maybe she would.

Victoire and Teddy had broken up before. Once, when she’d been thirteen, she remembered it was her first time in Homemade and she’d begged Teddy to meet her with Lucy and Hugo, and he’d been twenty-three at the time, and he’d told them how he and Victoire were done, but never said why. She didn’t think anyone, but her father, knew why, but she always blamed Victoire and wished she’d been older, because by then, she knew she was Teddy’s, he just wasn’t her’s…

The second time, she’d been seventeen. It was during Easter, when Victoire and him got into a heated argument in Nana Weasley’s garden. It was obvious that this fight had been ongoing, because when they both appeared they just kept shouting at one another. Ginny had moved her away from the window, and silencing charms had been placed on the windows as the adults pretended nothing was out of the ordinary. When Victoire came in, puffy eyed and no Teddy, it was clear he’d left. When Lily wrote to ask, she received a letter asking about school and if she wanted to go on a summer holiday to visit Uncle Charlie. 

They never did go to Romania together that summer, after she graduated, though. By then, Victoire and him made up, and she’d gone without him, leaving her acceptance to The Astronomy Academy unopened, unanswered, and her honors and perfect grades behind.

“No, she won’t.” He said, “I just feel like a git for doing it.”

“Well, I mean, you’re busy, Teddy.”

He nodded, hoping off the counter. “C’mon. Let’s go see if James’ ears are all sorted out.”

* * *

**oOo**

* * *

Once Aunt Hermione sorted James’ ears out, the party went on in full swing. 

“Who ate the chocolate for the cake!” Molly Weasley had bellowed when she’d removed her cake from the oven. Lily, who’d been luckily close when this occurred had turned to her grandmother with wide, surprised eyes.

“Oh no, Nan! I think I saw Al over here earlier, he must’ve sniffed out the stash.”

Her older brother was bewildered when his grandmother had begun to yell at him, forcing him to go to the store to get more, as Lily and Teddy shared a look and a nose touch at one another.

“Oh, you two are awful!” Lucy had hissed, coming up beside her as Al went off, tail between his legs and a confused look marring his face.

Lily grinned, “Got no clue what you’re on about, Luce.” She said innocently, picking up a mini sandwich from the table and handing it to her, “have a cucumber sandwich.”

Lucy had begrudgingly chewed it, muttering about her and Teddy’s naughtiness as her older sister, Molly, wandered over.

“Hey, Molls,” Lucy greeted her older sister and Lily nodded at her, feeling guilt simmer inside her.

“Lucy, Lily,” she greeted, grinning ear to ear at them, causing Lily to quirk an eyebrow between the two sisters.

“So how was the date?” Lucy gushed, setting down her partially eaten sandwich square, taking her sister’s arm and Lily’s elbow so that they could sit and gossip easier. Not that Lily wanted to gossip, but it’d help ease the guilt if she knew Molly was at least happy. 

Molly grinned and gestured at Rose, who was nursing a glass of elderflower wine and listening to one of their nan’s friends drone at her, and giving a grateful look, Rose excused herself and rushed over.

“Thank Merlin,” the petite redhead gushed, downing the rest of her wine in a gulp. “She smelt like wet hippogriff and I was about to nod off.”

Lily grinned, “That’s my Rosie.” Grabbing two more cups of wine from the table behind her, she cheersed her older cousin, downing her glass.

“Merlin, Lils, pace yourself,” Lucy scolded, but Lily ignored her, flopping down.

“Tell us about your man, Molls,” Lily said, her voice slurred a bit. Molly, however, grinned all the same.

“Oh you guys, he’s perfect!” Molly gushed, flopping back against the wall, twirling a strand of dark red hair, grinning at memories none of them could see. “He’s South African, and he attended Uagadou, in Uganda, and he lived a few years in Kenya. He’s studying at St Mungo’s, and then plans to go to Japan and be the mediwizard at Mahoutokoro,” she sighed.

Rose looked at her with wide, twinkly eyes and a grin. “Oh Molly, he sounds perfect.”

“Do you have a picture?” Lily asked and Lucy elbowed her, causing Lily to give a harsh gasp and gave her a sharp glare.

“Erm, no” Molly said, her cheeks red. “But I do have another date in a few days. He’s going to take me around Bath.”

“Sounds lovely,” Lily deadpanned, annoyed about the lack of photos. How was she supposed to know if Molly had properly moved on without proof the guy could rival Scorpius in good looks.

Lucy shot her cousin a pointed look and said, “It _does_ sound lovely, Molly. I’m glad all went well.”

“Yeah, and hopefully Mr Perfect has a sister,” Rosie teased, elbowing Lucy, who elbowed her back.

Lily slumped against the wall as Molly said, “Maybe. Third date I’ll ask,” she joked, giving her younger sister a wink, earning herself a napkin to the face when Lucy tossed it, laughing as she did.

**.**

**.**

**.**

“Lily!” Freddie said hours later when he saw her, three firewhiskeys in. “Long time no see, mate! How’s good ole Lys in Auckland. I miss the little bugger.”

Lily, who had been caught in a typical Freddie Weasley bear hug, patter her older, and much taller cousin, lazily before getting out of his grip. “She’s fine. Happier now, I reckon, being on her own. She’s trying to find the kiwi dragon when she’s not playing on the pitch. They love her over there, though. She’s in all the papers. The best chaser they’ve had in two centuries,” Lily said proudly.

“Auntie Luna’ll be thrilled!” he said cheerfully, taking another sip of his near-empty cup, frowning at its lack of fullness. “You know who isn’t cheery?”

“You?” she teased, summoning for a bottle of firewhiskey and topping him off.

He grinned, “Not with that service, I’m not! But no, you minx! Hugo, of course. He keeps bitching about those damn boxes. They weight a ton, too. We moved em up to the attic, hoping they’d fill with spiders, and we nearly took our backs out.”

She grinned. “I got his howler in Romania. Uncle Charlie had quite the fright hearing it, too. Ill timed, we were by some dragons, didn’t really have much of a choice.”

Freddie laughed, “He’ll feel bad about that. He was wracked with guilt when he sent it, too. But you know how he gets all excited about minor details and such.”

Lily shrugged, “It’s his flaw, just like I have mine.”

“You got more than your fair share of em, I’ll say,” he teased, pouring himself another round. “You haven’t come round in ages. We miss you! We need to get the gang back together, especially since the big news.”

Lily felt an ache of excitement as her ears perked up, “And what news is this, Fred Weasley? You’ve been holding out on me? Me? Your so-called-favorite cousin?”

Freddie scoffed. “Keep your knickers on, Potter. You don’t read your mail, anyway. And besides, you’re the second to know, only cause I live with Hugo. Well, okay,” he admitted sheepishly, “you’re actually the,” and then began counting on his hands, ticking names off one by one, “Roxanne, mum, dad, Lee -“

“Out with it, Weasley!” she shouted, shaking his shoulders and he grinned, clearing his throat dramatically.

“Collin and I are finally getting married!”

Lily heard herself give a shriek of unfiltered joy, jumping up and hugging him around the neck, nearly toppling them both over. “Freddie, this is amazing!” She poured more firewhiskey and they cheersed one another, shooting it down effortlessly. “When’s the big day?”

“Oh, heavens, not for ages! He’s still in Whales, I’m up in Brighton. We have to get jobs settled, a flat, and then we can have dates and ideas, but it feels nice to just have it be official.”

“I’m so fucking happy for you both!”

“Well, you’re the one who sort of got us together. So cheers, Lil.” They clinked glasses and she laughed, shaking her head.

The story was basically that one night, during her fourth year, she’d run into Collin Creevey, who’d been evading Filch and Mrs Norris just outside of the Hufflepuff dormitories, trying desperately to get into the kitchen. Lily had scared him, helped him through the secret Hufflepuff entry, causing a friendship to form between the well-meaning Ravenclaw boy and Hufflepuff girl.

“If you mean my friendship with him, I cheers to that. Hardly groundbreaking, though. His dad and late uncle loved my dad, so he’d been looking at me for years.”

In truth, as guilty as it was, she and Lena Patil had called him Collin Creepy behind his back, something both girls now deeply regretted once he’d become their friend and Freddie’s boyfriend, but hindsight was 20/20, after all. 

Freddie sloppily kissed her cheek. “Now, if you don’t mind, gotta tell everyone else. If you see Hugo, be sure to tell him that dragon story, alright?”

“Aye, aye mon capitain,” she saluted, watching him stumble off and shook her head, pouring another shot of whiskey.

* * *

**oOo**

* * *

“Have you seen my socks?” she asks a week later as Lorcan hunts for his glasses.

He was late for his shift at the Daily Prophet and seemed to have misplaced his story on how the ministry was trying (and thankfully failing) to put a stop to Giant rights, again. Lily, who had spent the night in his spare bedroom, felt more organized than he’d ever be.

“Here you go,” she said, handing him his messenger bag that he sheepishly took.

“I haven’t seen your socks, sorry. I’m a shit Hufflepuff.” He muttered, putting the bag over his shoulders and trying to squeeze into his trainers.

“We’ll revoke your status any week now,” she replied, looking under his sorry excuse for a couch, so old Voldemort’s great grandparents were probably spring chickens compared to it. “I’m heading into Diagon Alley for supplies. Do you need anything?”

“Just some Doxy powder, I reckon they’re in the curtains again,” he requested, shoving his arms into his jumper.

“Will do,” she said as he headed out the door, leaving Lily sock-less. Sighing, she tried summoning them again, wondering if she’d even had socks last night to find.

Shrugging, she gave up the search and tossed out Lorcan’s coffee and began making her’s fresh. Lorcan had a few talents, writing being ninety-five percent of them, but anything edible was a solid pass. Lysander had gotten all the talents of making a good cup of tea, along with the chaser thing.

Waiting for her pot to be brewed, she thumbed through Rolf Scamander’s newest journal about his and Aunt Luna’s finds in the bowels of northern Canada, mindlessly pouring herself a cup. By Tuesday, she’d be with her Uncle Charlie in Romania again, and she was excited to have a distraction that’d take up most of her time before June 15.

Granted, she’d listen to her uncle pester her to get her magizoologist license, again! But it was worth it. She liked her work in Romania. Most of it was taking photos of dragons, helping dragon mothers protect their eggs, and bothering a few vampires, but it was good, honest fun. And that was her mother’s problem with it.

_“It’s not all about fun, Lily! One day, we won’t be here and you’ll have to grow up. Even James has a sensible job with the sodding Cannons!”_

Lily brushed away her mother’s lectures, her finger tracing a winged faerie her Auntie Luna had sketched, smiling to herself. Luna had written, asking about her next set of pictures and possibly an article, and Lily had written back she’d do them by June on a napkin when she’d had tea with Lucy at _The Hangman’s Pub_.

Humming to herself, she flicked her wand at the dishes and set off for Diagon Alley, tapping the lock closed behind her.

**.**

**.**

**.**

“Tell Charlie he owes me seven galleons when you see him,” Uncle Ron said as Lily and Roxanne waved goodbye as they set out down High Street, snickering to themselves.

“Honestly,” Roxanne snickered, tying her braids into a long ponytail. “He can be so petty, sometimes.

“Sometimes? More often than not, my dear cousin.” Lily said, entering the apothecary and gathering the items requested from her dear uncle.

“When you go back to New York, can you bring back those weird American snacks again? Clea doesn’t believe they exist.”

Lily nodded, “Can do, will do.” As she took a few more vials of potion off the shelf and placed it in her pouch, she turned to her cousin, “So you and Clea are fine now?”

Roxanne nodded, “It was a misunderstanding, that’s for damn sure. I don’t know, Lil, I’ve always been hookup girl, and now I’m someone’s girlfriend. And, I’m discovering my sexuality, so I feel like I’m not either enough. Being bisexuality and hearing how people talk about bisexuality, it’s two different things.”

Lily nodded in agreement, “Don’t I know it. You like girls but have a preference to men? May as well be a phony.”

Roxanne made a face, handing her some burn potion. “Between that fight, and that stupid wedding shower and the shop, I’ve been losing my gobstones, you know?”

She didn’t know, but nodded sympathetically. “At least it’s almost over.”

“Lily, it’s the beginning of May.”

“In a matter of speaking, I mean. Less days now than we had a year ago.”

Roxanne glared, piling more burn potion in her pouch. “Easy! Do you think a dragon’ll eat me, or something?” Lily said, yanking her pouch away.

“With outlooks like that, I can only hope.” Her cousin replied cheekily, sticking her tongue out at her, replacing the bottles back onto the shelf before the shopkeeper noticed.

Lily stuck her tongue out back, keeping the ones that had made it into the bag. You could never be too careful with dragons, after all.

“Have you been good with all this wedding stuff?” Roxanne asked sincerely, but not daring to look at Lily, who became very interested in a vial of wart remover -_ Good for Algerian and Dragon fungus GUARANTEED!_

They were quiet, neither girl daring to break the tension before Lily said, “Yeah. I guess.” Then she sighed, “Let’s not discuss it. Besides, I’ve got a whole schedule: Romania, Auckland, New York, home.”

Roxanne tutted, “Never a dull Lily Luna moment, eh.”

“Nope. Never has, and never will,” she grinned, though the grin was forced and tone tight. She didn’t _want_ to think about the wedding, now or ever. She wanted it to be over and done so she could try and move on for real this time.

“Whatever gets you through,” was all Roxanne said as she handed her some sun protectant. “Please wear this this time. You’re more transparent than the bloody fat friar!”

Lily stuck her tongue out at her cousin again, placing it in the pouch to soon be forgotten in the Romania sunshine.

* * *

**oOo**

* * *

“There’s our girl!” cried Uncle Charlie, waving wildly as Lily got out of the carriage. He was surrounded by his colleagues, people she’d grown to know well over the past two years. They waved at her excitedly, as if the Prodigal Daughter had returned. And maybe that’s what she was, traveling about as she did, sparing bits of her time like pocket change to the people in her life who’d moved on, when she couldn’t.

“Uncle Charlie!” she yelled, running into his arms for a burly hug, the rest of the crew joining in. And in her heart, she wished she could say that this was home. But truth was, it wasn’t.

“C’mon, they got an Egyptian horntail they brought back. It was flying, lost in Switzerland. It took nearly a thirty trainers to get him back, lucky he didn’t destroy any villages along the way,” her uncle gushed, locking an arm around her.

She clutched the camera hanging at her chest. “Luna will be happy for a good story in,” she commented excitedly, happy she’d keep her tentative word to her godmother as she followed along, waving at a few people coming back from the grounds. They all looked exhausted, and Lily understood. It was hard work being a dragon tamer.

_“Nan’s always on about you, you know,” _Lily once had said to her uncle, one long night after a few dragons escaped and she’d been forced back to the dorms, unsure of her uncle’s fate for hours on end, worried she’d have to be the one to write _that_ letter. It’d been the first time she’d ever prayed for anything.

_“Oh believe me, I know. It’s just, you saw tonight. It’s dangerous, and it’s not like I want to give this up. Compromising myself isn’t fair, and forcing someone to worry about me and hardly see me, well, that’s not fair either.”_

She’d just turned eighteen the month prior when they’d had that talk, and she remembered how she understood, but wish she didn’t. Now, though, she realized she didn’t. Not really. Not the way he meant it.

“It’s beautiful,” Lily said in a hushed tone, looking at the pale blue dragon, the wisps of silver glinting in the sunshine. It opened it’s mouth, crying and breathing fire, fighting heavily against it’s restrains. It had no way to understand that, yes, it had been blessed the gift of flight, but for now, that gift was more of it’s shadowed curse.

Taking a photo, she knew she’d never capture the beauty, nor the sadness, of this moment. There wasn’t enough photograph potion in the world to recreate this moment.

“Take it easy on her,” Charlie shouted, going down to advise the newer, more younger and timid trainers, who didn’t quite understand the dragons.

Maybe one day they would, maybe they wouldn’t. But Lily understood them. Or at least, she believed she did.

**.**

**.**

**.**

“So what do you do in New York?” Charlie asked, bits of bacon flying as he talked with his mouth open.

“Don’t talk with your mouthful, I know Nana Weasley taught you that much!” she scolded, avoiding the question.

“To my knowledge, none of the family is in America. Unless my letter returning abilities is shit,” he continued.

“You’re almost as bad as I am, Uncle Charlie, and you know. I can count on one hand the amount of holidays you were there for.”

“No need to call me out,” he said, shoving her head a bit, playfully. “But I’m serious. No one knows what’s in New York. You’re not working are you?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously, “Did Lily Potter get a job?”

“No.” She nibbled on her eggs for a moment, groaning. “There’s a friend, that’s it. I do visit my friends, you know.”

“What’s their name?” he asked. “Listen, you told me Lena’s in India, staying with her family and studying there for a bit. I know Collin and Freddie are engaged, but he’s in Whales. I know that bloke, Fisher, is in northern Ireland training for the Irish, but everyone else is basically family.”

“You know, Lysander thinks she’s close to finding the kiwi dragon,” Lily said casually, shoveling more eggs into her mouth.

This brightened her uncle right up, then he stopped. “Nice try,” he commented, “very Slytherin of you.”

“I try,” was all she said.

“C’mon, Lils. Not even one sodding clue?”

“Uncle Charlie, I promise you, it’s nothing. Merlin’s honor, okay.”

He sighed, “Fine. And here I thought _I_ was the favorite uncle.”

“Don’t let Uncle George hear you say that,” she chided, “he’d be quite sad.”

He hummed, scarfing down his tomato and clapping her knee. “Finish up, we have hatching day today!”

**.**

**.**

**.**

“Write to me when you get to Lysander’s, yeah,” Uncle Charlie said as she got into the carriage, giving her one last hug.

“I will. And watch yourself, that horntail was getting a bit snippy last night.”

“You know I will, Lils,” he said, waving her off.

* * *

**oOo**

* * *

“It’s quite fascinating,” Lysander concluded, taking a sip of her piping hot tea.

Lily nodded in agreement, taking a sip of her own tea. “So, do you think you’ll find it?”

“I hope so. My parents looked for it, but they sadly failed. It’d be like closing a chapter for them, but also myself.”

Lily nodded, watching Lysander’s mug flutter back to the table. All of Lysander’s movements seemed so floaty, even before. She’d always been feather-like in her actions, her appearance. 

“Well, if you find anything, send me a howler,” she said, taking another sip of tea.

“Will do, mon cheri,” she said. “I don’t understand why you don’t open your mail, seems rather lonesome. Even if it is all self-inflicted.”

“Don’t you try and psychoanalyze me, Lysander,” she said, wagging a finger in her friend’s face. “I don’t have any ‘self-inflicted loneliness’, I just hate mail.”

“Liar. You have an owl, because I know for a fact that Oscar spends more time at Lucy’s than anywhere else, and you used to love mornings when the post would come.”

Lily shrugged. “Fine, I’ll label myself a martyr, then.”

Lysander hummed, running a finger along her mug, mesmerizing Lily as she did this. “Let’s cut the dragon dung, then, shall we?”

Lily blinked. Surprised by the girl’s bluntness, she sat straighter, observing her ex-lover in curiosity. “And what might the so-called ‘dragon dung’ be, Lys?”

“You still love him - and before you try and play stupid, you know as well as I do that I know who, and you know who - and with the wedding coming up, I’m worried about you.”

Lily slouched back, her eyes set on the steam filtering up from her mug, a sour look on her face. “And what about any of that?”

Lysander shrugged easily, “Well, I suppose nothing, really. I just worry about you and your happiness. We all do. I’ve gotten many letters from Lucy on the subject if you want to thumb through any for proof.”

Lily grumbled a bit, sighing and blowing her fringe out of her eyes. “You lot worry so much, but I’m fine.”

“Are you really, though? Because I know everyone’s been harping on you, but my mother loves your articles. I know for a _fact_ you’ve proof read and _fixed_ Lorcan’s, because that git barely knows what a semicolon is, much less how to use it, and my dad wants you to get your magizoologist license, the same thing you were just bitching that your uncle and his colleagues harped on, and all you plan on doing is go from here and then to New York, to do Merlin only knows what. So look me in the eye and tell me you sound remotely on your rocket, Lily Luna.”

Lily grumbled again, crossing her arms and frowning. “Don’t therapy session me, Scamander, that’s just being shitty.”

“And so is your constant pining, but I’ve never said much about that,” she replied easily.

Lily huffed. “Well, fine, I hate it, but what am I supposed to do? Pull a speak now during the vows? Proclaim my love for him during the rehearsal dinner? It’s not exactly as if my hands aren’t tied, you know.”

“Indeed they are. But it still can’t be easy harboring this ill-fated crush,” she said sympathetically.

“Yeah, the one that screwed you over,” Lily said tartly.

Lysander frowned. “I’m not the one who’s bitter, though.”

Lily’s eyes narrowed. “I never said you were bitter.”

“And I’m saying you are,” Lysander replied.

The two glared at one another before Lily looked away, scowling at a potted plant by the door. 

“No, then. I’m not okay, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve never had him, it’s just come a few months, the only difference is going to be a ring on their finger.”

Lysander took a sip of her tea. “Then I’m sorry.”

Lily looked at her, her eyes empty and sad as she replied, “Yeah. Me, too.”

**.**

**.**

**.**

“C’mon, Lys, let’s go!” Lily cheered in the stands, watching the Kiwis quidditch practice. Her best friend zoomed in and out, like a needle and thread, from her teammates, making score after score. Lily’s throat had become hoarse, but she still screamed loudly, thinking how appalled her younger, Harpies fanatic self would be if she could see her now. 

By the time practice was over, Lysander had scored almost ninety points, and Lily felt her heart swell with pride. Taking a sip of water, she handed the canteen to the blonde, who guzzled it down effortlessly.

“Thanks,” she said, retying her hair into a perfect knot.

“You were bloody brilliant,” Lily praised, wrapping her arm around the girl, apparating them back to her flat. “Slytherin must be rolling in their graves, seeing you now.”

Lysander, who’d grown red in the face, twisted herself out of Lily’s grip and made her way to the kettle to make some tea. Lily kicked herself, grabbing the tea mugs as a way of an apology as she set the table.

The Slytherin Quidditch team incident was a touchy subject, and it was one that went unspoken and basically forgotten about.

“I need to work on my turns, though. They feel too clunky.”

“Nonsense, you’ve never been clunky a day in your life,” she tsked as Lysander poured her a cup of tea, adding a brown sugar cube to it.

“I can’t believe you leave tomorrow. It’s going to be so lonesome without you,” the girl sighed, twirling her spoon around her mug, despite the tea being black. 

Lily shrugged. “You’ll see me soon. I’m spending a few days in Manhattan, then I have the dress fitting, and after that, I want to properly celebrate Freddie’s engagement.”

Lysander smiled. “Send those two my love. I wish I could get away, but the seasons in full swing, so they’d kill me if I took time for a holiday.”

Lily nodded, “Will do. Besides, we’ll probably do something better for New Years, that way everyone can come.”

Lysander nodded, sighing as she ran her fingers through her long, pale blonde hair. 

Lily had always envied that hair. Despite her struggles, Lily knew if she were Lysander, she’d have Teddy’s heart. The hair, the way she moved - Lysander was hands down the most beautiful woman she’d ever met. A big part of her envied her, but an even bigger part simply admired her and loved her.

“I at least know you’ll visit me again,” she said, removing the spoon from her tea as a knock came from her window. 

The two females looked over, brows furrowing when an owl was at the window. Lysander didn’t recognize it, but Lily did. “Mercury?” she questioned, getting up and opening the window.

The tawny barn owl came in, hooting happily at her after it’s long journey and dropped the letter at her feet, flying to the couch and setting a perch their.

Lily looked at the familiar handwriting, confused as to why she was getting a letter from Teddy, especially now. Apart of her imagined the letter professing all of her dreams, but the rational part of her knew it had to be something big to require him to write to her. He must’ve known she’d read it, the prat. Despite him being blissfully unaware of her love, he sure knew how to manipulate it to his favor.

“Who’s it from?” Lysander asked, petting the owl, but keeping her curious blue eyes peeled on Lily, who picked the letter up from the ground with shaky hands.

“It’s from Teddy,” she said, sounding as worried and mystified as she felt. Turning the letter in her hands, she pulled the seal and opened it, skimming it quickly before breathing a sigh of relief.

_Lily,_

_I know what you’re thinking: Why is this tosser writing me? What happened? James and Albus must’ve set the cottage on fire. Mum finally gave dad food poisoning and he’s taking his final breaths in St Mungo’s! But alas, none of that news. It’s, in fact, good news!_

_As you know, I have a bachelor’s party the day around the bachelorette extravaganza in Monte Carlo, I luxury I don’t get to share with my wife to be, mind you, but I was hoping you’d do me a solid and, well, cancel it. Where’s the good news in that? Well, I’ll tell you!_

_As you know, the idea was a bunch of old school mates and work friends, the lads from the family, that sort, were going to go and get shit faced and so on, but upon further reflection, and James’ whining, I decided I hate the idea._

_Big shock, I’m aware, but it gets better! You see, I don’t really take to old school mates much, and work colleagues aren’t exactly the ones I’d appreciate getting drunk with and I thought: What would make me happy in my last nights as a free man? Camping._

_I know we haven’t camped since you were twelve, and not everyone would or could come, but I know you will, Al and James, and Rose, a few of the others (who are many and not enough time to write them all). Please say you’ll come. It’d be near July, and I’d appreciate it greatly._

_Cheers, _

_Teddy_

She looked at his signature, reread it twice and smiled to herself as Lysander tried in vain to get her attention. “Hello,” she was hollering. “Earth to Potter. Lily, Lily Luna Potter!”

Lily shook her head. “What?” she asked, blinking and becoming reacquainted with reality.

“Don’t give me that! What did he want?” she asked impatiently, bouncing on the edge of her feet, eying the letter.

Lily handed it over easily. “You should come, make it interesting.”

Lysander read it, snorting. “He’s even more anti-social than I am.”

“Too right he is,” Lily said affectionately, snatching the letter back pathetically, as if afraid it’d be bent.

Lysander rolled her eyes, “I’m lucky I got time off for the wedding, let alone anything else.”

“I heard Victoire wanted you in the wedding party,” Lily said, feeling a begrudging bit of love for her older cousin and unknown-to-her rival. 

Lysander smiled. “She did, I was quite flattered, but I have no time. The woes of being a quidditch player and hunting a possibly mythical dragon.” 

“Oh, the tragedy,” Lily teased, folding the letter and putting it in her pocket, knowing that when she’d got to Godric’s hollow she’d put it safely in her knicker drawer. The only place her nosey older brothers would never dare to look.

“I take it you’re going though,” Lysander commented as she went back to her tea.

“Why not? It sounds a lot better than Monte Carlo.”

“Or, more awkward.”

Lily’s face flushed. “You read too much into everything.”

“Don’t facade me,” Lysander chided. “Now drink your tea, you’ll probably leave soon, I’m sure.”

Lily sat down, fiddling around with her tea mug. “I can’t help that I love him, you know.”

“I’m not saying you can, I’m just saying that facing reality is hard, especially for you.”

Lily glared at the dragon print on the tea mug, “Whatever.”

“Don’t take it too hard, Lily,” Lysander says as she tops off both their tea, even though Lily’s hardly touched her’s. “You know I love you, regardless.”

Blowing on her tea, Lily takes a sip, bitterly, and scowls as she places it down on the saucer. “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Scamander.”

**.**

**.**

**.**

“I’ll send a howler if I hear anything,” Lysander promises hours later, the two girls exchanging a hug as they stand in front of a fire place.

From the Auckland train line she’d floor to Egypt, then to France and finally, America. It’s a long day ahead of her, and at this rate, she’ll be in Scorpius’s flat by midnight if she didn’t get a move on.

Giving her friend another hug, she replies, “You better, Scamander.” Kissing the girl’s cheek, she gets into the fireplace and in a flash of emerald fire, she’s gone in a wisp.

* * *

**oOo**

* * *

“You sure I can’t tempt you to stay longer?” he asks a week later, and he’s standing in the closet, watching with amusement as she digs through her boxes to get clean clothes.

“Don’t be a git, you know I can’t,” she grumbles at him, but it’s muffled due to the fact she’s halfway into a box.

Scorpius tuts at her, “You know I’ve cleared space for you so this insanity can stop.”

Lily ignores him. What’s the point of a response, anyway? She wasn’t going to suddenly gather her boxes from around the world and store them all in Scorpius’s sock drawer. 

Pulling herself out, she clutched a pair of knickers and began her next search for a new bra. “I have to do my laundry soon, I’m finally running out of clean clothes.”

“Funny how that happens,” he comments with amusement, turning to face Apollo, who is whining at his feet. Picking the dog up, he looks back at Lily, “The week just flew by, and it’s not like you _want_ to go to a dress fitting. I never pegged you for the committed type.”

“What I want and who I am don’t matter, I’m doing this to keep the family peace, Malfoy.” she said, cursing herself for not checking the boxes at Lysander’s for a clean bra. Ah well, this one would do. “And besides, don’t you have work?”

He shrugged. “I have a life outside of work, Potter.”

“Fucking me isn’t much of a hobby.”

“No,” he agreed. “It is fun, though.”

She tossed a sock at him, groaning as she stood up, cracking her tired bones. “Between this dress fitting and the bachelorette party, I put myself in a bind, and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t harp on my time.”

“Of course, Miss Potter,” he said jokingly, handing her back the sock she’d attempted to throw at him, missing him entirely. 

Snatching the sock back, she tossed it in the general direction of a box, and began to braid her hair. It was sloppy, but she hardly cared. All eyes would be, as always, on Victoire, and no one would even notice her.

He stood behind her, kissing her neck and her eyes fluttered shut, feebly moving away. “Scorp, I have to leave in like five minutes.”

“I can be quick,” he promised, his tone light and airy, but she knew he wasn’t joking.

“Next time. Besides, it’s Manhattan, you’ll find another formerly-red-head-turned-blonde in no time,” she says easily, throwing on a tank top and jeans. The weather has begun to cling with heat, the city becoming an oven under the light of glass buildings and busy streets.

Soon, back in London, she’d probably get away with a light jumper before the June heat creeps in and overtakes everything.

He frowned, but said nothing to the comment, buttoning his shirt up.

“Do me a favor,” she says once her trainers are tied and she’s upright, reaching for something on his desk. “I finished this and need to send it to Luna, but Oscar is elsewhere. Mind if I borrow Hades? She wanted it by the beginning of June.”

He nodded, “Sure.”

Lily looked at him. “Don’t be so upset, you know I’m right,” she said, kissing his chest.

He turned away. “We don’t want to be late, right.”

Lily sighed. Fine. If that was the way he was going to be, so be it. 

“Nope,” she said, popping the ‘p’ with extra emphasis. “I’ll see you by the end of June, Scorp.” And with that, she grabbed her bag and wand, turned from the spot and made her way into Grand Central Station.

It was his loss, anyway.

At least, that’s what she told herself as she got into the queue for the floo network back to England. 

* * *

**oOo**

* * *

Arriving at Godric’s Hollow, Lily climbed the stairs to her parent’s garden and unlatched the gate. It was the middle of the afternoon, and she prayed neither of her brothers had come around yet. Both Ginny and Harry would still be at work, and all she wanted was to lay in her old bed, listen to the somber tunes of Weird Sister, and dwell on her ongoing woes and misery.

Opening the door, she nearly cried out in delight seeing her home (well, former home, she supposed since she’d long since stopped living there full time — _DESPITE_ the boxes and junk she’d deemed important enough to keep, but not important enough to travel with) empty.

Setting her beaded bag down on the floor of her bedroom, along with old Hogwart’s notes, crumpled up bits of parchment and long dried out ink pots, she leaped into her bed and turned on the wireless. Her favorite Weird Sister’s song bellowed up and encased the room as she looked at her ceiling, a picture of Myron Wagtail staring down at her, broody as ever. 

“Oh, Myron,” she sighed dramatically, hugging her pillow, “no one understands me like you.”

“Don’t be daft, Lily! I understand you!” came a voice as her closet door sprang open, causing her to shriek as her older brother, James, came out in a muggle werewolf mask.

“James, you twat!” she hollered, throwing her pillow at him.

He let out an “oohf!” as it hit him in the chest, hard, and laughed. “You didn’t think I could resist when I saw you bounding up the street, did ya?”

She glared at her older brother, her fists curled at her side. “You’re such a prat, James.”

“You should see what I plan to do to Albie, then,” he laughed, a twinkle in his brown eyes as he sat down beside her on the bed, despite her effort of leaving him no room to do so. Brothers…

“We hardly had a moment to catch up the last time we were in the same room with one another, with me and my ears and you and Teddy naughtily eating chocolate, Albus was scared shitless, you know!” he cackled affectionately at the memory, then straightened. “You and Teddy can be so cruel together.”

Lily rolled her eyes, bringing her knees to her chest in defeat, knowing James wasn’t exactly going to leave her alone. 

Despite the age difference, Lily and James had always been close. Al, as the middle, was more of their third wheel than friend, something Scorpius had lamented pissed him right off. Lily, however, always had more in common with James, and that wasn’t anyones fault.

“I heard you pissed Victoire right off,” Lily said, paying with the fraying holes of her trousers.

James grinned cheekily, “Victoire and Teddy forevurrrrrrrrrrr….” he said, emphasizing the ellipsis. “My mistake, really. She said it, I laughed and mocked it.”

“Stupid git,” was all Lily said, focusing all her energy on the fraying string in between her fingers and Myron Wagtail’s voice.

“Indeed. Teddy almost broke, but he’s got a better bullshit tolerance than I do,” James admitted.

“It is your curse,” Lily agreed, halfheartedly, since she barely listened.

“And yours is liking this rubbish!” James said, turning off the wireless, causing Lily’s head to snap up and her eyes narrow dangerously, looking like a perfect imagine of Ginny Weasley-Potter.

“You can be an emotional wreck another time. I’ve missed you, we never heart to heart anymore!” James said, rolling onto her bed, propping his head up with his palms and kicking his long legs like a muggle sitcom.

“We’ve never had “heart to hearts”, James,” Lily pointed out.

“And that, my dear baby sister, should change!” James cried out, trying to keep his balance in all his dramatics.

Lily rolled her eyes, sighing. “Fine. You first, then, Jamesie.”

“Merlin, no! I hate emotions,” he proclaimed.

Lily groaned, “James!”

He laughed, then looked at her. “So, you’ve been good?”

Lily’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you start to, James Sirius,” she said warningly, her voice low and full of impatience.

He attempted to put his hands up in innocence, but then scoffed. “Can’t blame me for asking, can you?”

Lily looked away bitterly, wishing she’d opened up the curtains to appear interested in the back garden, rather than the darkness of her curtains.

“Didn’t think so,” he said in a singsong voice. “Besides, I heard you’ve gotten a few letters, all unopened, naturally, from a few schools. Apparently, Uncle Charlie and Uncle Rolf have been quite busy. Mum’s pissed that you refuse to accept mail, anymore. She doesn’t understand the nihilistic ways of my baby sister.”

“Actually, it’s hedonism,” she corrected.

“Or both,” he concluded with a cheeky James Potter grin. Then, he checked his watch and his grin turned sinister. “Al should be here in five minutes, let’s go!”

He got up quickly, almost falling when he slid on one of her many piles of junk, and said with a chuckle, “I can’t believe the stupid git would tell us when he’d come.”

Lily smiled, getting up with him. _And I can’t believe you’re a stupid git who’d believe him_, she wanted to reply. But instead, she let nature take its course, not wanted Albus to miss out on his moment of revenge.


End file.
